Duke is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and animated series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's First Sergeant, and debuted in 1983. The character is also featured in both the G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 animated series and comic books. Channing Tatum portrays Duke in the 2009 live-action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and the 2013 sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
Profile Duke is the code name of First Sergeant Conrad S. Hauser, and was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a skilled polyglot, being fluent in English, French and German, as well as several Southeast Asian languages. He was at the top of his class at Fort Benning, attended U.S. Army Special Language school, has undergone Special Forces training, and worked with South Vietnamese tribesmen. He was also an instructor in four different Special Forces schools. Despite his accomplishments, he has repeatedly turned down any officer commissions offered to him. He believes a commander's place is with his troops, not behind the battle lines.
Duke is field commander and second-in-command of the G.I. Joe team after Hawk. In this role, he has served as a rugged leader by example, a precise giver of orders, a source of history and knowledge, and a fair settler of disputes. As the team has fluctuated in size and structure over the years, Duke has supervised the training of the non-commissioned officers in G.I. Joe, as well as leading special units such as Tiger Force and Star Brigade.
After the G.I. Joe Team disbanded, Duke disappeared. It was later learned that he had been performing Black Ops for a secret government agency, his missions of which are still highly classified. One such mission was to locate and detain the mercenary Major Bludd, which led to evidence that Cobra Commander had returned, and hastened the reinstatement of G.I. Joe. Duke returned to active duty in G.I. Joe when the team was reinstated, though his maverick and dangerous behavior took some of his longtime colleagues by surprise, and caused him to relinquish his position as field commander for a more behind-the-scenes advisory role.
Toys Vintage/Modern Duke was one of the first mail-away figures created in 1983 for the G.I. Joe 3 3/4" action figure line of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. He was later released as a carded figure in 1984, as part of the third series. The figure was recolored and released as the leader of the "Tiger Force" line in 1988.
A new version of Duke was released in 1992. Another version was released as part of the Battle Corps line in 1993. New versions of Duke were also released in 1993 and 1994, as commander of the Star Brigade line.
A version of Duke with no accessories came with the Built to Rule Armadillo Assault, which followed the G.I. Joe: Spy Troops story line. The forearms and the calves of the figure sported places where blocks could be attached.Armadillo Assault w/ Duke at YOJOE.com Retrieved 2012-04-23 The same figure was recolored and released in 2005 with the Built to Rule Freedom Defense Outpost.Freedom Defense Outpost w/ Duke at YOJOE.com Retrieved 2012-04-23
Hall of Fame In response to the high demand from nostalgic collectors of the vintage era G.I. Joe action figures, Hasbro introduced the G.I. Joe: Hall of Fame era of 12" action figures in 1991. Duke was the first action figure produced in the Hasbro G.I. Joe line since 1978.
The first 12" Duke was a Target Stores exclusive. The popularity of the figure convinced Hasbro to unleash a new series of 12" G.I. Joe action figures, known as the Hall of Fame series. These new 12" figures were based on the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of 3.75" action figure characters. The 12" Duke had a headsculpt that was never used again for any other G.I. Joe figure, and was dressed for Desert Storm combat, with a backpack, commemorative stand, a light-up weapon with sound effects, grenades, and a Beretta handgun and holster.
25th anniversary Duke was released in a box packed with Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Roadblock, and Gung-Ho, created from an entirely new mold that was based heavily on the original design. He was also released in several single packs (with one including his Jet Pack featured in the opening credits of G.I. Joe: The Movie), comic packs, movie packs (packaged with the greatest battles DVD), and multi-packs. Duke was one of the only G.I. Joe figures to be released in a special package for the G.I. Joe: Resolute animated series.
The Rise of Cobra To coincide with the launch of the movie G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Hasbro released at least two figures in 2009 based on the Duke movie character. For both releases, he is listed as Conrad "Duke" Hauser. The first, classified as "Desert Ambush", features Duke in a desert camouflage uniform. The second, classified as "Reactive Impact Armor", features him in the movie style black uniform. Two versions of Duke were also released as part of "The Pursuit of Cobra" line in 2010, with non-actor based heads.
30th Anniversary The G.I. Joe: Renegades version of Duke was released as an action figure in 2011, as part of the 30th Anniversary line. Three versions of Duke were released in 2012, the last one listed again as Conrad "Duke" Hauser to tie in with the movie G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
G.I. Joe Classified Series Q2 of 2020 sees the release of G.I. Joe Classified Series, a new line of highly articulated 6-inch scale action figures that includes prominent characters like Duke. This line features premium deco, detailing, articulation, and classic design updated to bring the classic characters into the modern era, plus accessories inspired by each character's rich history.
Comics Marvel Comics In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, Duke first appears in issue #22. He and Roadblock act as security for the funeral of General Flagg, shooting down an attacking Rattler plane.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #22 (April 1984) Duke is added to the G.I. Joe team line-up, to help straighten the team out and become the new field commander. His first mission is surveillance of the Baroness and Major Bludd at the Bern Institute of Reconstructive Surgery in Switzerland. A major battle results in the capture of Cobra Commander.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #23 (May 1984) Duke leads an effort to keep Cobra Commander prisoner in a mountain base. However, the Cobra ninja Storm Shadow rescues the Commander.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #24 (June 1984)
Duke then traveled down to Florida, where he and Roadblock met up with Cutter and Deep Six, taking the W.H.A.L.E. hovercraft and attacking Zartan's swamp shack hideout in the Florida Everglades.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #28 (October 1984) After Destro and Firefly steal the W.H.A.L.E., Duke and Wild Bill take the Dragonfly copter to go after Destro and recover the vehicle.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #29 (November 1984) In the opening ceremony of the new Pit headquarters, Hawk chooses Duke as the new field commander and the top sergeant of the G.I. Joe team.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #33 (March 1985) His next field mission is to investigate a suspected Cobra undercover agent on Staten Island. The agent escapes, but leaves behind clues to a secret Cobra operation in the Gulf of Mexico.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #38 (August 1985) Duke leads an assault team on the newly formed Cobra Island, but is forced to withdraw when the island is officially recognized as a sovereign state.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #41 (November 1985)
Duke takes part in the invasion of the Cobra-controlled town of Springfield, as the leader of the Security Team.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #49-50 He also plays second-in-command to Hawk during the Cobra Civil War.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #74-76 After that mission, Duke spends some time training new members of the Joe team. His next mission involves leading a team to push Cobra out of Trucial Abysmia, but intelligence vastly underestimates Cobra's presence there. Duke's squad is captured, and a misinterpreted order leads to several men being shot dead by a S.A.W. Viper. Doc, Heavy Metal, Thunder, and Crankcase are slain immediately. The Viper is wounded, and the survivors escape in a Cobra Rage tank. It is destroyed, killing Crazylegs, Breaker, and Quick Kick. Duke and the other two survivors, Cross-Country and Lt. Falcon, make it back to friendly lines safely.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #108-111
Duke would recover from that experience and lead the defense of the Joe headquarters, The Pit, against Cobra.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #130-131 He also led a covert mission to Cobra Island, to oust control of it by Firefly and the Red Ninjas.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #132-134 As leader of Star Brigade, Duke teamed up with the Oktober Guard to destroy an asteroid threatening Earth.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #145-148 He would continue working with G.I. Joe until its disbandment.
In an interview in ToyFare magazine, G.I. Joe comic book writer Larry Hama admitted he could never get a handle on Duke. According to Hama, military comic book conventions maintain that the commanding officer is the "good cop" and the first sergeant is the "bad cop," and Duke, as first sergeant, never really fit the "bad cop" mold.
Devil's Due After the disbandment, Duke went to take on black ops assignments for a secret government agency for a few years. It was during one of his missions that he discovers Cobra's attempt to make a comeback. He uses this information to help rally the effort to have G.I. Joe reinstated.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol. 2 #5 (April 2002) By this time, Duke had a different edge to him, taking more risks and sometimes putting teammates in danger.
Duke returns as the team's field commander, leading a team to defend Washington D.C. when Cobra threatens the world with nanomites.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol. 2 #4 (March 2002) Later, Flint and the Baroness are both kidnapped by the same organization in Czechoslovakia. Destro and Duke arrange for G.I. Joe, Cobra and the Oktober Guard to team up, in order to rescue them.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol. 2 #17-19 (2003) When Hawk is incapacitated in a Cobra assassination attempt, Duke takes up his injured mentor's causes, fighting the corrupt Jugglers while holding the team together in the wake of the loss of their leader.G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol. 2 #37 (December 2004)
America's Elite The team is reorganized in the G.I. Joe: America's Elite series. Duke disappears, going off on his own mission to locate Cobra Commander. During his search, he is captured by a group of B.A.T.s under the control of a Crimson Guardsman, who also had a grudge against Cobra Commander and wished to locate him. Duke frees himself, and after much torture, kills the Guardsman and saves Washington D.C. from being nuked. Civilians then treat his wounds and help him return home.G.I. Joe: America's Elite #7-10 (2006) Duke also assists his colleagues in defending their Yellowstone base from enemy infiltration.G.I. Joe: America's Elite #16-18 (2006)
Following the invasion of The Rock, General Rey goes on a sabbatical to fill in some of the holes in his memory, and Duke accompanies him because he does not trust his intentions. They discover that Zandar was involved, and travel to the Florida Everglades, where they learn that one of Zandar's aliases was hired to broker a deal between The Coil and the Jugglers. This leads them to General Rey's psychiatrist Dr. Scott Stevens, who reveals that General Rey is a clone of Serpentor. Dr. Stevens is then revealed to be Cobra hypnotist Crystal Ball, who has brainwashed General Rey, and commands him to kill Duke. General Rey breaks free from Crystal Ball's control with Duke's help.G.I. Joe: America's Elite #19-20 (2007)